Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners Bigger Speakers or Sub

Hi again. This is Todd. I posted below to ask for integrated amp recommendations and obtained some very useful advice. I ended up going with a great deal on a Vecteur I-4 integrated amp. That amp should arrive soon, and then my system will consist of my M-22's, the Vecteur I-4, and a Sony DVD/CD player. When I have enough money, I will also add a subwoofer, maybe a Hsu or an Axiom model.

The subwoofer/M-22 combo is going to end up costing approximately the same as would a pair of M80's. What I am trying to figure out is whether I made a mistake by buying the M-22's and planning to buy a sub rather than just buying the M80's. When I get the sub hooked up, do you think the sound of my system will approach what I would obtain with the M80's and no sub?

Thanks for your advice.
Todd

I haven't heard the M80's, but have the M22 with the VTF-2 sub. You will get better bass response from the M22 with sub. The M80's will likely add some of the fullness that the M22's lack.

How big is your room? I've got two ideas for you, but I'd need to know your room size/layout first. How big is your room? How far away from your main speakers would you be sitting?

The M80's are the best bet for a fair size room when you like to listen to music a lot.. They just have a lot going on with all those drivers.. Very full sound, etc.. But, I feel I still need a sub for Home Theater work..
I dont own 22's, but the same drivers are found in the VP150 and QS8's I own..
For music, they would be best in a small room..
My guess is, a pair of 22's AND a sub, would be fine in a small to medium size room for Home Theater..
It's all a game of pressure.. More speakers and tweeters, more presence.. Good sound pressure levels, without having to run the amp and the speakers at red line..

The room is a typical small Manhattan studio, 12' x 15', with a low ceiling, probably around 8'. The speakers are being used exclusively for music. They cannot be played at high volumes because that would disrupt the neighbors. Also note that the integrated amp. is only 80 watts per channel, so I have doubts about whether it is sufficient to drive M80's. Thanks again for your advice.

That room sounds perfect for the M22's and a Hsu. Sit about 9' back, toe them in just a tad, sit back and enjoy!

Todd, re the M80's, its not the output wattage on your amp you need to be concerned about, but rather, whether your amp can drive a 4 ohm load. Even if your amp can handle 4 ohm loads, based on your current room size, the M80's would be overkill. As Mikey and Spiff already stated, best to stay with the M22/sub. Good luck.

Hi folks,I've got the M80;s with a vtf 2 in a room that is 15x21x7.I run only 2 channel pushing them with a Kenwood M2A amp @ 220 in 8 ohm I believe @4 ohm it is about 315 watts.Listening to some blues my amp meters were reading about 40 rms. Using a slp meter i was reading 95 to 98db so if you like it loud and clear it dos'nt take much with the m80's.The bass is really ,really good with these speakers too.The M80's are probably to much for my size room but if you like it BIG LOUD AND CLEAR I don't belive you could ever go Wrong with the M80's.

do you think the sound of my system will approach what I would obtain with the M80's and no sub?

I think the real decision lies with whether you plan to listen more to music or home theater... There is a big difference with a subwoofer when watching movies, however I believe the M80s would do well for you (or even M60s) if you are mostly looking for better music reproduction.